Telephone call manager

ABSTRACT

A call management method is provided for giving notification of calls unanswered at a destination telephone number and real-time management options for the unanswered call. When control of a call is passed to a call management server ( 50 ), notification of an incoming call is sent to a subscriber associated with a destination telephone ( 22 ). Incoming call notification is provided via a wireless data messaging terminal ( 28 ) and includes information about the incoming call. The subscriber provides instructions in real-time for routing the incoming call.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of telephone callmanagement via a wireless data network.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Systems and methods for managing telephone calls, both wirelessand conventional, via a data communication service have been proposed.These systems are very useful in the case where a single telephone isused for both data communication purposes and for a telephone. However,such systems do not provide a call management solution in the case wherea user is mobile and unable to answer a call.

[0003] With the growing popularity of wireless data network (WDN)services due to decreased cost and increased accessibility, the numberof applications using WDNs has increased. These applications includepersonal digital assistants, handheld computers, wireless modems, andtwo-way pagers.

[0004] WDN devices are similar to wireless telephones in that they aremobile and can be carried by a user. However, using a WDN device forcall management allows call processing to occur for both conventionaland wireless telephones. For example, using a WDN device for callmanagement provides a method for routing a call destined for a wirelesstelephone to a conventional telephone in the case where the wirelesstelephone has been turned off or has a dead battery.

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method for managingtelephone calls over a wireless data network.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a user withthe ability to manage telephone calls using a wireless data network.

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there isprovided a call management method for providing notification of calls,destined for a telephone, to a wireless data device associated/with saidtelephone, said wireless data device being connected to a wireless datanetwork in communication with a call management server, said callmanagement method comprising the steps of: notifying the wireless datadevice when an incoming call is detected on said telephone; receiving anindication of a selected management action via the wireless data device;and processing the incoming call according to the selected managementaction.

[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention thereis provided a call management method for providing notification ofcalls, destined for a telephone in a public switched telephone network(PSTN), to a wireless data device connected to a wireless data networkin communication with a call management server having a database of callmanagement service subscribers, wherein said database includessubscriber dial number and corresponding wireless data device addressinformation, said call management method comprising the steps of:obtaining dialed number information about the call from the PSTN;comparing the dialed number information to subscriber dial numbers inthe database; and providing a message to a wireless data device having awireless data device address corresponding to the dialed numberinformation.

[0009] In accordance with a further aspect of the present inventionthere is provided a call management method for providing notification ofcalls, destined for a telephone, to a wireless data device associatedwith said telephone, said wireless data device being connected to awireless data network in communication with a call management server,said call management method comprising the steps of: receivingnotification of an incoming call detected on said telephone; providing alist of management actions for the incoming call; and sending anindication of a selected management action for the incoming call.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described inconjunction with the attached drawings, in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a system functional block diagram illustrating logicalelements of a telecommunications system according to an embodiment ofthe present invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an incoming call management process,from a server perspective, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

[0013]FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an incoming call management process,from a data terminal perspective, according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0014]FIG. 1 illustrates a telecommunications system 10 for real-timetelephone call management according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. A call management server 30 provides a call managementservice including notification of calls that are not answered at adestination telephone number 22 and real-time management options for theunanswered call.

[0015] An origination telephone 20 initiates a call to a destinationtelephone 22 over a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 24. Theorigination and destination telephones 20, 22 can be conventional,wireless or a combination of conventional and wireless telephones. Thedestination telephone 22 belongs to a subscriber of the call managementservice provided by the call management server 30.

[0016] The call management server 30 is connected to the PSTN 24. Thisconnection may be via a telephony link such as Primary Rate Interface(PRI), H.323, Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) interface or othersimilar interfaces.

[0017] When the PSTN 24 determines that the call placed to thedestination telephone 22 is not answered, the PSTN 24 tries to redirectcall control to the call management server 30. The PSTN 24 sendsinformation about the call to the call management server 30. Thisinformation includes the destination telephone 22 number as well asidentification information about the origination telephone 20. A messageinterface 34 accepts the destination telephone 22 number and validatesthrough a connection manager 36, that the destination telephone 22belongs to a subscriber of the call management service and that thedestination telephone 22 number is registered in a subscriber'sinformation database 32.

[0018] When the destination telephone 22 number has been determined tobe registered in the database 32, the call control is passed on to thecall is management server 30. If the connection between the PSTN 24 andthe call management server 30 is via PRI then the call from theorigination telephone 20 is redirected from the destination telephone 22to the message interface 34 of the call management server 30. However,if the connection between the PSTN 24 and the call management server 30is via AIN or H.323, then the call management server 30 receivessignaling information about the call but does not become part of theredirected call path through the PSTN 24. In the later case, the callmanagement server 30 provides routing and call control information tothe PSTN 24 for handling the call.

[0019] The message interface 34 is the call management server's 30interface with the PSTN 24 and the origination telephone 20 and acceptsinformation required for the call management process. While the callmanagement server 30 is contacting the subscriber to receive callmanagement instructions the message interface 34 will put theorigination telephone 20 on hold or delay answering the call tocompensate for the increased latency introduced by using a wireless datanetwork 26. The message interface 34 delivers notification to theconnection manager 36 that a call has been attempted to the subscriber'sdestination telephone 22. The message interface 34 also relaysinformation about the origination telephone 20 to the connection manager36.

[0020] The connection manager 36 accesses the subscriber's record fromthe database 32. The subscriber's record contains information such astheir subscribed telephone number(s) and an identification number for asubscriber's wireless data messaging terminal 28. The subscribers recordmay contain additional information such as the type of wireless datamessaging terminal that is used or preferred for the subscriber'swireless data messaging terminal 28.

[0021] The connection manager 36 finds the name of the call originatorbased on the origination telephone 20 number provided by the messageinterface 34. If the call originator's name is not provided by the PSTN24 and forwarded by the message interface 34, the connection manager 36formats a query to an external Line Information Database (LIDB) via aprivate connection or a link such as System Signaling 7 (SS7) (notshown). Information about a call originator's name may optionally bestored in the database 32 residing in the call management server 30.

[0022] The connection manager 36 determines the subscriber's wirelessdata messaging terminal 28 address by matching the destination telephone22 number with the subscriber records in the database. The connectionmanager 36 packages the originator's name and telephone number with thewireless data messaging terminal 28 address in a call management messageto be sent to the subscriber's wireless data messaging terminal 28.

[0023] The connection manager 36 forwards the call management message tothe data interface 38. The data interface 38 is connected to a wirelessis data network 26 through which the subscriber's wireless datamessaging terminal 28 can be contacted. The connection between the datainterface 38 and the wireless data network 26 may be via X.25, framerelay, transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), etc.Alternatively, a wireless data terminal (not shown) may be attacheddirectly to the data interface 38 and used as a transmitter to sendmessages to the subscriber's wireless data messaging terminal 28.

[0024] The data interface 38 contacts the subscriber's wireless datamessaging terminal 28 via the wireless data network 26 using the addressor number provided by the connection manager 36. The data interface 38sends the call management message to the subscriber's wireless datamessaging terminal 28. The subscriber's wireless data messaging terminal28 is notified of an unanswered call by an alert, such as a tone orvibration.

[0025] The subscriber's wireless data messaging terminal 28 address maybe, for example, a Mobitex Access Number (MAN) or a device address in awireless application environment (i.e. GSM, SMS/USSD, IS-136, etc.) Thesubscriber's wireless data messaging terminal 28 might be, for example,a PDA, a handheld computer, a wireless modem connected to a laptop ordesktop computer, a two-way pager, etc.

[0026] The data interface 38 is similar to the message interface 34 inthat it is a link between the call management server 30 and an externalentity. The data interface 38 acts as the interface between the wirelessdata network 26 which provides access to the subscriber's wireless datamessaging terminal 28.

[0027] Each possible action for the management of calls correlates withan action identifier. An action identifier corresponding to a chosencall management action is delivered to the data interface 38 upon thesubscriber choosing the call management action through the subscriber'swireless data messaging terminal 28.

[0028] Upon receiving the action identifier, the data interface 38forwards the identifier to the communication interface 36. Thecommunication interface 36 validates the identifier and determineswhether the identifier correlates to a valid call managementinstruction. If the action identifier corresponds to a valid action, asignal is transmitted to the message interface 34 which directs thetelephone call from the originator to the location specified in the callmanagement instruction.

[0029] The possible call management actions can be forwarding a call toa different phone number, forwarding a call to a voice message system,ignoring a call playing a pre-recorded message, etc.

[0030]FIG. 2 shows a call management method 50 according to anembodiment of the present invention. The call management server 30receives notification of an unanswered telephone call for a destinationtelephone 22, in the form of a redirection request for call handling andcall management functions. This request includes call information suchas the origination and destination telephone 20, 22 numbers shown atstep 52 in FIG. 2. The call management server 30 takes the destinationnumber of the unanswered telephone call and determines if thedestination telephone 22 is a call management service subscriber shownat step 54.

[0031] When it is determined that the destination telephone 22 belongsto a subscriber of the call management service then control of the callis redirected to the call management server 30. A message containingorigination telephone information is packaged shown at step 56. Themessage containing the origination telephone 20 number and name is sentto a subscriber's wireless data messaging terminal 28 belonging to thesubscriber associated with the destination telephone 22 wherenotification of an unanswered call is received shown at step 58.

[0032] Possible actions for managing the unanswered call are preset inthe subscriber's wireless data messaging terminal 28. These actions mayinclude, but are not limited to, forwarding the call to a differenttelephone number, forwarding the call to a voice message system,ignoring the call, etc. The subscriber chooses one of these callmanagement actions and sends notification to the call management server30 of the desired option shown at step 60. The desired call managementaction is validated by the call management server 30 to determine if theaction if a valid management action shown at step 62. The callmanagement server 30 processes the call according to the receivedinstructions if the instruction is deemed to be valid shown at step 64.

[0033]FIG. 3 shows the subscriber's wireless data messaging terminal 28perspective of a call management method 70 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. The call management server 30 is informed thatthe subscriber's wireless data terminal 28 is ‘on line’ on the wirelessdata network 26 and continues to update the call management server 30 ofany changes in status shown at step 72. When a call requires subscribermanagement direction, the call management server 30 sends an encodedmessage to the wireless data messaging terminal 28 which decodes anddisplays the message, shown at step 74, (including caller name andnumber information) and alerts the subscriber by tone or vibration. Alist of management actions is provided from which a subscriber canchoose an action appropriate for the current call, shown at step 76.Once the subscriber has selected an action for the call, the informationis encoded and communicated over the wireless data network 26 to thedata interface 38 of the call management server 30 for processing of thecall according to the received instructions, shown at step 78.

[0034] In summary, when a call reaches the call management server 30,the subscriber associated with the destination telephone 22 is notifiedvia a wireless data messaging terminal 28 with information about theincoming call and disposes of the call according to the subscriber'sinstructions given in real-time.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0035] The present invention as described above in the exemplaryembodiments applies to the industrial field of telephone callmanagement.

1. A call management method (50) for providing notification of calls,destined for a telephone (22), to a wireless data device (28) associatedwith said telephone (22), said wireless data device (28) being connectedto a wireless data network (26) in communication with a call managementserver (30), said call management method (50) comprising the steps of:notifying (58) the wireless data device (28) when an incoming call isdetected on said telephone (22); receiving (60) an indication of aselected management action via the wireless data device (28); andprocessing (64) the incoming call according to the selected managementaction.
 2. The call management method (50) of claim 1 further includingthe step of sending (56) caller identification information to thewireless data device (28).
 3. The call management method (50) of claim 1further including the step of prior to processing (64) the incomingcall, validating (62) that the received indication of the selectedmanagement action is a valid indicator for a valid management action. 4.A call management method (50) for providing notification of calls,destined for a telephone (22) in a public switched telephone network(PSTN), to a wireless data device (28) connected to a wireless datanetwork (26) in communication with a call management server (30) havinga database (32) of call management service subscribers, wherein saiddatabase (32) includes subscriber dial number and corresponding wirelessdata device address information, said call management method (50)comprising the steps of: obtaining (52) dialed number information aboutthe call from the PSTN; comparing (54) the dialed number information tosubscriber dial to numbers in the database (32); and providing (58) amessage to a wireless data device (28) having a wireless data deviceaddress corresponding to the dialed number information.
 5. The callmanagement method (50) of claim 4, further including the step ofreceiving (52) caller identification information from the PSTN andincluding the caller identification in the message to the wireless datadevice (28).
 6. The call management method (50) of claim 4, furtherincluding the steps of: receiving (60) an indication of a selectedmanagement action; and processing (64) the incoming call according tothe selected management action.
 7. The call management method (50) ofclaim 6 further including the step of prior to processing (64) theincoming call, validating (62) that the received indication of theselected management action is a valid indicator for a valid managementaction.
 8. A call management method (70) for providing notification ofcalls, destined for a telephone (22), to a wireless data device (28)associated with said telephone (22), said wireless data device (28)being connected to a wireless data network (26) in communication with acall management server (30), said call management method (70) comprisingthe steps of: receiving (72) notification of an incoming call detectedon said telephone (22); providing (76) a list of management actions forthe incoming call; and sending (78) an indication of a selectedmanagement action for the incoming call.
 9. The call management method(70) according to claim 8 further including the step of receiving (74)caller identification information to the wireless data device (28) withthe notification of an incoming call.
 10. The call management method(70) according to claim 8 further including the step of sending (72) anindication that the wireless data device (28) is powered on andconnected to the wireless network (26).